Mike Warfield: Wednesday’s Project Connect is vital

Sunday

Jan 26, 2014 at 5:00 AM

By Mike WarfieldLenawee Community Mental Health

Last year Lenawee County reported at least 662 of its citizens to be homeless. Those who are included in this number are not the nameless wanderers of back alleys seen in movies; they are school children, mothers and fathers, friends and neighbors. It’s easy to label their situation with a single word, but that fails to express the realities they face; the bitter cold of winter, the ache of hunger, despair and frustration from opportunities just out of reach. As we start this New Year, we continue to work hard to help those in need find shelter and housing stability.

Project Connect, the first major effort of the year to address this need in our county, is just around the corner. In the past, it has served as a way to bring together those in need of services, and this year we hope to do better than before. Those attending will be treated to a free meal and many winter giveaways. Health screenings, including flu shots, will be available. Personal hygiene items and haircuts will also be available. Many local service providers will be attending to provide information on housing, utility and food assistance, job training, mental health and substance services and much more.

The past Project Connect events have been very successful in addressing the needs of those attending, and bringing our community together. With the holiday season behind us, it’s easy to think of the stories of miracles, hope and compassion that we’ve seen on TV or heard on the radio. Project Connect is a real opportunity for us to come together and provide hope for those families, friends and neighbors who face housing crisis and homelessness right here in Lenawee County.

Project Connect will be held in the merchants building at the Lenawee County Fairgrounds, located at 602 N. Dean St. on Wednesday, Jan. 29. The event starts at 10 a.m. and goes until 2 p.m. Free transportation is available for those in need; just call 264-6360 in advance to request.

In addition, the annual Point In Time (PIT) Count of those who are homeless or in housing crisis will take place on the same date, Jan. 29. Households in housing crisis are asked to complete a PIT survey. Housing crises includes being homeless, facing an eviction or foreclosure or being doubled-up with friends or relatives. PIT surveys will be available at Project Connect, Department of Human Services, Associated Charities, Lenawee Community Mental Health, Family Counseling and Children’s Services, Housing Help of Lenawee and other homeless service providers.

If you or someone you know is in housing crisis, please come to the Project Connect event or one of the other PIT survey locations mentioned above on Jan. 29 and be counted. This count provides Lenawee County with the data needed to apply for federal and state grants and is mandated by the federal government to remain eligible for federal funding. Both events are sponsored by the Lenawee Country Continuum of Care.

For more information or to become involved in the Campaign To End Homelessness, visit www.thecampaigntoendhomelessness.org or contact the Lenawee County Continuum of Care co-chairwomen: Nancy Bishop, Lenawee County Department of Human Services, 264-6404; Sharon Hudson, Family Counseling and Children’s Services, 265-5352; or Khristine Henson-Jones, Housing Help of Lenawee, 264-0782.

A Legacy of Compassion … a countdown to ending homelessness … 35 months.